WIND- Offshore

Top 10 Things You Don’t Know About Offshore Wind-Energy

Here are three of them-

Offshore Wind Resources are Near Most Americans: More than 70 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption occurs in the 28 coastal states — where most Americans live. Offshore wind resources are conveniently located near these coastal populations. Wind turbines off coastlines use shorter transmission lines to connect to the power grid than many common sources of electricity.

Offshore Wind is Right on Time: Offshore winds are typically stronger during the day, allowing for a more stable and efficient production of energy when consumer demand is at its peak. Most land-based wind resources are stronger at night, when electricity demands are lower.

Offshore Wind Farms Use Undersea Cables to Transmit Electricity to the Grid: Electricity produced by offshore wind turbines travels back to land through a series of cable systems that are buried in the sea floor. This electricity is channeled through coastal load centers that prioritize where the electricity should go and distributes it into the electrical grid to power our homes, schools and businesses. energy.gov/articles

A total of 2,219 MW of new offshore wind power was installed across seven markets globally in 2016, and although numbers were down 31% from last year’s record, the future looks promising. Overall, there is now 14,384 MW of installed offshore wind power capacity in 14 markets around the world…Learn more>>

Wind Power Capacity In The WorldWind power is present today in more than 90 countries. There are now 29 countries with more than 1,000 MW installed and 9 countries with more than 10,000 MW installed. This interactive infographic shows the cumulative installed wind power capacity per country, continent and the world as a whole from 1982 to 2016.interactive map>>

Drag the slider or click the play button to see how wind capacity has changed over time. Thanks to Breeze for providing this new tool for us!

Offshore Wind Energy-Offshore Wind Energy Resources; Offshore wind turbines are being used by a number of countries to harness the energy of strong, consistent winds that are found over the oceans. In the United States, roughly 50% of the nation’s total population lives in coastal areas to include counties directly on the shoreline or counties that drain to coastal watersheds. Energy costs and demands can be high, and land-based renewable energy resources are often limited in coastal areas. Abundant offshore wind resources have the potential to supply immense quantities of renewable energy to major U.S. coastal cities, such as New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles…Learn more>>

…Wind speeds off the Southern Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico are lower than wind speeds off the Pacific Coast. However, the presence of shallower waters in the Atlantic makes,…Learn more>>boem.gov

-Commercial Offshore Wind Energy Generation; Many countries, including the U.S., have coastal areas with high wind resource potential. A list of offshore wind power projects can be downloaded at The Wind Power website, a worldwide database about wind turbines and wind power facilities.

The first U.S. offshore wind farm, the Block Island Wind Farm, became operational in December 2016. There are more U.S. projects in the planning stages, mostly in the…Learn more>> boem.gov

-Offshore Wind Energy Technology;

Commercial-scale offshore wind facilities are similar to onshore wind facilities. The wind turbine generators used in offshore environments include modifications to prevent corrosion, and their foundations must be designed to withstand the harsh environment of the ocean, including storm waves, hurricane-force winds, and even ice flows. Roughly 90% of the U.S. OCS wind energy resource occurs in waters that are too deep for current turbine technology. Engineers are working on new technologies, such as innovative foundations and floating wind turbines, that will transition wind power development into the harsher conditions associated with deeper waters. Learn more>>

…To take advantage of the steadier winds, offshore turbines are also bigger than onshore turbines and have an increased generation capacity. Offshore turbines generally have tower heights greater than 200 feet and rotor diameters of 250 to 430 feet. The maximum height of the structure, at the very tips of the blades, can easily approach 500 feet.

While the tower, turbine, and blades of offshore turbines are generally similar to onshore turbines, the substructure and foundation systems differ considerably. The most common substructure type is…Learn more>>

– Transport of Wind-Generated Energy; After collecting the power from the wind turbines, high voltage cables running from the ESP transmit the power to an onshore substation, where the power is integrated into the grid. The cables used for these projects are typically…Learn more>>

Offshore wind in Europe saw a net 1,558 MW of additional installed grid-connected capacity in 2016. This was 48% less than in 2015. A net addition of 338 new offshore wind turbines across six wind farms were grid-connected from 1 January to 31 December 2016. Learn more>>windeurope.org/about-wind/statistics

Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects

With roughly 80% of the U.S. electricity demand originating from coastal states, offshore wind is a crucial renewable resource to be incorporated in the country’s clean energy mix. Since 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy has supported a portfolio of advanced wind energy technology demonstration projects that represent some of the nation’s most innovative offshore wind projects in state and federal waters. These demonstrations are among the first of their kind making their way through permitting, approval, and grid interconnection processes in the United States. The demonstration projects will help address key challenges associated with installing full-scale offshore wind turbines, connecting offshore turbines to the power grid, and navigating new permitting and approval processes. Learn more>>energy.gov/eere

Commercial Offshore Wind Energy Generation

Many countries, including the United States, have coastal areas with high wind resource potential. A list of offshore wind power projects can be downloaded at The Wind Power website, a worldwide database about wind turbines and wind power facilities.

The first U.S. offshore wind farm, the Block Island Wind Farm, became operational in December 2016. There are more U.S. projects in the planning stages, mostly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Projects are also being considered along the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Coast.
…Learn more>>boem.gov